The Last Hunt
by Steggy
Summary: A hunter takes on a soft spot for a human female and the scientists are at it again. Read on to find out who survives and who... well, you all know what happens to those who get caught. Major updates, grammer fixed. New chapter on the way
1. Chapter 1

WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE

CHAPTER 1

All was silent, aside from her footsteps echoing through the dark corridor. Sarah couldn't see anything except the neon guiding light that lead to the emergency exits. The blue light trailed down the tubing in the corners of the floor and gave the appearance of flowing electric pulses.

'A power outage?' thought Sarah. "Come to the Sterning institute for higher learning! Best technology available!" Sarah said aloud in a mocking tone. 'Where could everyone be,' she wondered. She found it funny, as the hall was full of life only hours earlier before she dozed off in her room. According to her watch, it was time for the geno reconstruction lecture. "Great! I'm going to be late again!"

She came to an intersecting hallway, which, if she remembered correctly, leads to the C-wing Dormitory, and the B-wing Dormitory. She could hardly see anything aside from the blue pulsing light. Sarah took a few steps down the left hallway, calling out, "Is there anyone there?" No reply came from the darkness.

She continued on through the darkness. The strange silence brought to her a feeling of uneasiness. There was no hum of electricity, no vent fans, no students talking; just her footsteps. She slowed her pace as she neared the lounge area where all of the students hung out.

Sarah surveyed the room with a squint, but could see no one. She felt her way around the wall, continuing on. Suddenly, Sarah ran her hand over something wet and pulled it away abruptly. "Eww," she muttered. In disgust, she rubbed her hands on her pants, not wanting to imagine what she could have possible touched. She sighed, and walked down the main hallway.

She halted at the guard room at the end of the hall. The security door to the lift was open, but no car was there. The guard post appeared abandon, but Sarah could not see much with only the neon pulsing strips as her light source. "Anyone here?" Sarah spoke into the doorway. There was no reply. "Hello?" Sarah yelled through the empty corridors on the Dormitory level. The only sound was the echoing of her voice.

She stepped into the guard room, looking for the emergency power lever. She searched cautiously, feeling a hint of achluophobia strike her. The air felt so close in there. Something was not right; this guard post should never be unattended. 'What happened while I was asleep?' she said to herself.

Her hands formed around a metal shaft, wondering what the item could be. Feeling her way around it, she realized she was holding a flashlight. Sarah flipped the switch and brought the instrument to life. Then she panned the light around the room, examining it.

As she fell back in terror, Sarah attempted to shriek; only a sound similar to an asthmatic wheeze escaped her voice. She could not move, could not cry out for help, and could not take her eyes away from the horrible sight. Two guards had been hung from the ceiling lights, completely skinned. Their cold blood dripped down onto a large puddle in the middle of the room. Part of their mutilated skin could be seen strewn across the corner. The blood glistened as the light swept over it.

As Sarah turned to flee, she stopped short, encountering a dead guard with no head. The flesh on his back looked flayed as if his spine had been ripped clean from his body, like a gutted fish. The sight was enough to make her want to vomit. 'What could have done this' She thought. She closed her eyes breathing deeply. Gathering her courage, Sarah stepped over the body and then out into the corridor.

She turned left and reluctantly began to head back to her dorm room. The flashlight revealed blood covering the walls of the hallway. Terrified, Sarah crept onward to her dorm room. Her hands shook violently from fear, making the flashlight hard to control. Her feet felt like they were tied to hundred pound weights. Step by step she inched closer and closer to her goal.

As she reached her door, she began slamming her key card into the security panel on its side. It began to rise slowly, but she was in no mood to wait. She made her way inside in a hurried crouch before it could finish, then turned and activated the lock. She looked around the outer hallway as the door made its way shut. Her mind was racing with visions of the guard room. Sarah closed her eyes, and turned to face the dark room. She didn't know what to expect.

Upon opening her eyes, she began to scout around the room, seeing nothing. Sarah shined the light on every inch of the small dorm, making sure she was alone. No amount of searching would make her feel safe in these walls. There was always the sense of something behind her. Sarah backed herself into the corner, checking under her bed, and then the desk, but would she brave the closet?

'What am I supposed to do now?' she asked herself. She could not wait here to end up like the rest, but then again, she would not dare brave the corridor again. At least she would not before a considerable time and lack of any other solution. She couldn't believe what she saw in the hallway. This had to be a dream, no a nightmare. Sarah pulled her hair back and tears began to stream down her trembling cheeks.

'How could this happen?' she thought. 'Who would do such a thing to another human?' Sarah began sobbing uncontrollably. She leaned her back against the corner of the office furthest from the door. Slowly, her body slid down the wall as her legs gave way. She pulled her knees into her chest protectively, wishing away the images in her head.

Just at that moment, the vent flew off the air duct, hitting the floor with a clang. Sarah screamed, running for the door. Whatever was responsible for the bloodshed would have to catch her first. As she reached for the unlocking mechanism, something seized her from behind. Sarah kicked and screamed trying to get away, but a hand was placed over her mouth. She was spun around to face a Marine in heavy camouflage.

He peered into her eyes and put a finger to his lips in a signal to be quiet. He released his hand from her mouth, and whispered into her ear. "I am Sergeant Bradley Wells. I am a Marine. My ship docked here about 2 hours ago, after receiving a distress signal." Bradley stopped to check his motion tracker. He gently put both hands on Sarah's shoulders. "About 45 minutes ago my entire unit was slaughtered. We never saw it coming. Hell, I never even saw the attacker. I managed to escape, climbing my way up the elevator shaft. I entered the main air shaft, and that brings us to now."

Bradley guided her to a chair gently, and sat Sarah down. "Now tell me, what happened."

Sarah looked up with a blank expression, whispering "They're all dead… I woke up, I mean, I must have dozed off. The power was out, and they're all dead." Sarah looked away, burying her face in her hands.

Brad pulled her up. "We have to get to my drop ship."

Sarah leapt to her feet, backing away from him. "I am not going back out there!"

"Ma'am, it would be suicide to stay. I don't know if you were paying attention when I was talking, but that thing took out 11 well trained marines."

Sarah sat down on her bed, looking at the marine. "Are we going to die?" she whimpered.

Bradley pulled a handgun from his belt, and tossed it on the bed next to her. "Not without one hell of a fight." He replied.

Sarah slowly picked up the gun, and ran her fingers down the barrel. She had never held a gun before. Even if it was only a handgun, she still felt better. Bradley knew she wouldn't be able to do anything against this unseen threat with no training and only a pistol, but maybe having it would help keep the fear away. They needed to stay focused, and not spend time on her mental breakdowns. Bradley hated thinking like that; so heartlessly. But the truth is, if she freaked out, it could get them both killed.

Hearing a beep from the motion tracker, Bradley grabbed Sarah and headed for the vent. He pulled a chair up so she could climb in. Bradley took Sarah's hand and boosted her into the vent. Sarah began to crawl forward into the foreboding dark tunnels of the ventilation system.


	2. Chapter 2

THE TELL TALE HEART… ALL OVER THE WALL

CHAPTER 2

Bradley lowered Sarah down onto a ledge in the main air conduit. Sarah dusted her pants off and pulled the gun from her belt. Bradley dropped down beside her, looking around.

He leaned over to Sarah, speaking lowly. "Ok, there should be an access panel to turn off the air circulator."

Bradley typed into a mini computer, bringing up the station's schematics. Sarah leaned over the edge, looking down. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw the three spinning fans. They had to be 20 feet in diameter each. Sarah began to feel uneasy. "We aren't going down there are we?"

Bradley looked up from his pad. "Would you rather go back and deal with that thing? Huh, no? I didn't think so." Brad returned to his screen, and cycled through different levels, until he came to the ventilation structure. Brad traced his finger down the large shaft, stopping at a small blue symbol. "This should be easy." He whispered to himself.

He pulled a cable out of his backpack, attacking a claw like device to the wall next to him. The claw clicked, sending a small metal tube into the wall, which locked, securing itself in place. Brad gave it a few tugs to make sure, and then fished through his pack for the belt clamp.

After attaching the clamp to his belt, he turned to Sarah. Brad put his arm around her, holding her tight. "Hold onto me." He said.

Sarah slipped the handgun halfway in her pants, and tightened her belt to hold it in place. Then she reached around his neck with her right arm, grabbing onto his uniform. With her left she grabbed onto his shoulder and then wrapped her legs around him tightly. Sarah couldn't help but think this would be the end of her.

Bradley stepped off, and began to repel down the side of the vent shaft. He lowered himself down to a panel in the wall. Brad reached down, locking the rope in place. With his now free arm, he grabbed his motion tracker from his pack.

Bradley pushed the motion tracker into her hand. "Watch this. If it makes any noise or if you see anything, let me know immediately."

Sarah fumbled with the device, looking it over curiously. She held it out, examining the various knobs and buttons. If nothing else, it would take her mind off the fact that they were dangling above three twirling blades that could easily turn them to paste.

The panel swung open when Brad pushed the release button. He reached in, fidgeting for a moment. "There's no switch. No button or anything in here." He turned to Sarah. "You don't know how to rewire a ventilation system do you?" He laughed to himself.

Sarah sighed, reaching into the open compartment. She grabbed a fistful of wires and gave them a tug. The wires broke free spewing sparks, but they soon died down. Sarah smiled to Brad, who stared at her bewildered.

The main conduit jolted, and the clamp on Bradley belt came loose. They fell rapidly toward the spinning fans. The three blades grinded to a halt as the two fell closer. Brad grabbed the rope firmly, only to burn his flesh. He let go with a slight yelp, shaking his hand in pain.

They reached the end of the rope and came to a painful, sudden stop when the safety knob hit the clamp on Bradley's belt. Sarah sighed, laying her head against Brad's shoulder. He looked down, seeing the service elevator beneath the fan structure. "It's not far now." He brushed her hair out of his face, "All we have to do is take the elevator to the..."

He was cut short as a sound came from above. He looked up, seeing something in the shadows move. Seemingly from out of nowhere, a creature materialized, and stood from its crouched position. Sarah looked up, gasping "What the hell is that thing?"

The creature pulled a circular object from its side. It examined the disk for a moment, and then returned its gaze to them. Bradley looked at Sarah in distress. "This can't be good!"

He reached for his pulse rifle but it was too late. The creature reared back and slung the disk forward toward them. It sliced through the air, and cut the rope.

They plummeted to the ground, narrowly missing one of the halted fan blades. Sarah let go of Brad, as she hit the air cooler unit. She rolled off, hitting the steel grated floor below. Sarah turned onto her back, and reached up to her injured shoulder. "Shit!" she cried out in pain. 'It must be dislocated' she thought. Slowly she began to climb to her feet.

Bradley looked around. He had fallen into the coolant compartment. His entire arm was covered in a freezing blue liquid. Brad wiped his arm off, and rolled over, climbing to his feet. He looked for his rifle, but it was nowhere in sight. He jumped out onto the grated floor, and found Sarah.

"Are you alright?" he questioned.

Sarah shrugged, replying, "I'm alive if that's what you mean.

Bradley put a hand in the small of her back, guiding her forward. "We have to get out of here."

Brad pushed the button on the elevator. He looked up the shaft, seeing a car start lowering. "Come on!" he shouted. He backed into the shadowed corner, looking for their attacker. Sure enough he had followed them. The creature was crouched on the fan casing, peering down. It appeared to have some kind of long shaft in its hands.

The creature leaped down onto the grate with a thud. It stood slowly and the light from the elevator hit its face, revealing a mask with two glossy eye slots. Strange objects hung from its head resembling dreadlocks. Odd devices clad its entire body, and there were weapons strapped to every inch of its green armor. Brad's eyes widened in horror as the realization came to him. "It's a… a hunter!" Sarah turned to him, with a perplexed look.

The creature walked forward, scraping the end of the long metal spear against the wall. It held the tip forward toward them, as it neared. Sarah closed her eyes, clinging to Bradley. Bradley held her close, shielding her from their foe.

A loud clang came from behind as the elevator reached the bottom level and the doors opened. The creature rushed forward trying to catch them before they could escape. Bradley and Sarah ran into the elevator, both slamming on the numbers on the control panel. Bradley looked up, watching the creature close in on them. The doors finally closed as the hunter thrust its spear forward.

The spear went right through, nearly impaling Sarah. She looked down, touching the sharp tip of the spear. The elevator rose and the spear was violently torn from the door. Bradley looked at her and smiled nervously. "One more inch and you would have lost your appendix."

Sarah grabbed onto the railing as the elevator jolted. The car began to lean to the right. Bradley looked at her and whispered, "It's on the lift!"

He searched through his pack, looking for a weapon. He pulled out a half eaten sandwich, tossing it aside. Sarah shook her head. He rummaged around some more, finding a grenade. Brad looked to Sarah with a grin. "Let's kill this fucker!"

Brad jammed the grenade between the wall and the rail, and pulled the pin. He held the spoon in place until the car stopped. The doors opened revealing a long corridor with a sign pointing to the docking bay. He let the spoon go and grabbed Sarah.

The two ran forward out of the elevator, leaping into an open doorway. The grenade exploded, jolting the car free from the cable. It fell from sight, down the shaft, and landed with a loud crash. Brad walked forward and peered down the elevator shaft. The car was mangled at the bottom level, covered in flames. Bradley turned around with a satisfied smile.

Suddenly Bradley midsection thrust forward, spewing blood. Sarah screamed in shock as two blades came out of his chest. The hunter swung onto the floor from the elevator shaft, lifting Brad up with the two blades attached to his wrist.

Bradley squirmed, trying to get away, but to no avail. The creature pulled the blades from Bradley's back, and dropped him onto the ground. Bradley looked up at the hunter. It pulled a long knife, almost a sword to a human, from its back. The blade was three feet long, and the metal carried a strange blue tint. The handle had a leather type grip, and the hilt possessed some odd design.

Bradley tried to crawl away, but the creature grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him up. The hunter brought himself face to face with Bradley. The creature rear back, letting out a ferocious roar as it plunged the sword into Bradley's chest. Sarah watched in shock, unable to move. Bradley's body shook violently, but slowly stopped moving. The hunter cut his head off, pulling it free from the body. The blood fell onto the floor as he latched the severed head to his side.

The hunter turned to Sarah, cocking its head. Sarah turned to run, but collided with something behind her. She fell back, hitting the floor hard. Her gaze traveled up, to another hunter. This hunter wore red armor, and was differently designed that the first. It reached down, grabbing her.

Sarah squirmed, flopping around like a fish, trying to get away. The Red hunter threw her behind him, and she gently slid across the floor. The red hunter turned to the first, roaring at it. The first hunter returned the roar, beating its blade against its green chest armor.

Sarah cocked her head in confusion, and continued to watch. She was unsure of what was happening, but she was glad that the attention was off her. She watched as the red hunter pointed back at her, and then roared something to the green hunter. He seemed particularly upset.

The green hunter ran forward, kicking the red one in the chest. As he fell, the red hunters spear came free of his armor, sailing through the air. The spear extended, impaling the metal wall only inches from Sarah's face. The red hunter looked back at his weapon, then back at the green hunter. He tried to climb to his feet, but the green hunter kicked him in the chest with tremendous force.

The red hunter skidded across the floor, into the wall Sarah was crouched against. Sarah crawled back as the green hunter ran forward. The red hunter took his chance. Springing from the wall in a powerful pounce, the red hunter extended his wrist blade toward the green hunter's chest.

Unfortunately for him, the green hunter had anticipated this. He grabbed the red hunters arm, swinging him around into a door. The red hunter fell to the ground, dazed. He looked up as the green hunter raised its blade, readying a strike.

Sarah didn't know what the red hunter would do to her, but she knew that if the green hunter won this battle, her life would be next. Sarah grabbed the spear in the wall, and without thinking, charged the green hunter. He turned his head, but a moment too late. Sarah ran the spear through the green hunter's chest, nailing him into the wall.

The wounded hunter roared in pain, swinging at the tiny human who was only inches out of his reach. He looked down to his chest, touching the wound. Green glowing blood poured from it freely. He grabbed the spear with both hand, but could not pull it out. Sarah watched the hunter as he reached up to his face.

The green hunter slowly removed his mask, revealing his Yautja features. He stretched the four mandibles jaw surrounding his jaw, roaring loudly. Sarah cowered back in horror. Just the sight of the creature's face was enough to make her cringe. Anything with four claws for a face had to be some sort of demon killing machine. 'What is this thing?' she wondered.

The red hunter looked over to her, astonished at a move like this, from a human no less. The green hunter laughed, periodically coughing up blood. He reached over to his left forearm, pushing a few buttons on a mini computer attached to his armor.

The red hunter saw this, and jumped to his feet. He grabbed Sarah and slung her over his shoulder. Then he reached down, grabbing the blade of the fallen hunter, and ran down the corridor. Sarah beat on the red hunter's back, screaming at the top of her lungs. 'Where was he taking her,' she wondered.

She looked over his other shoulder watching as he ran toward a strange ship in the docking bay. This was no human ship. Its outside was curved and had designs she had never seen before. It was almost as if the ship was a piece of artwork. At least it was in comparison to the metallic boring ships she had ridden in.

The hunter clicked something on his left wrist, and a ramp descended from the ship. The hunter did not wait for it to hit the ground. He leapt almost 10 feet into the air, hitting the hard desk of the alien ship in a sprint. He raced through corridors and passageways within the ship. Most were plane architecture, but Sarah noticed one wall as they traveled through the ship.

This wall was covered with skulls of many creatures. Some she recognized, other were as foreign to her as this creature carrying her. There was one in particular that caught her eye. This skull was in some sort of canister, as if it was more important than the others. It was a long rounded shell, black as the night. 'Strange, no eye sockets,' Sarah thought.

The creature turned a corner and dropped her into a large chair. The chair seemed to swallow her whole, as it was built for a bigger body than a human's. 'Hard,' Sarah thought, 'but comfy.' She turned to look at the hunter.

It ripped its helmet off, throwing it aside. The hunter grabbed the controls, pressing a few buttons. He yanked back on what appeared to be the steering device. The ship flew backwards out of the docking bay at an extreme speed. Sarah almost blacked out from the G-force of the sudden movement. She raised her head watching the ship bust into pieces instantly. The wreckage slowly subsided into a soft blue light.

Sarah began to feel dizzy. Her chest became heavy, as she attempted to find breath. Something was wrong. Sarah grabbed that arm of the hunter. He quickly snapped his gaze to her, with a curious expression. Sarah jumped to her feet. Grabbing her chest, she sputtered. "I…I, can't…" Sarah suddenly fell to the floor. Her eyes rolled back, and all was silent.


	3. Chapter 3

I'M YOUR CAPTAIN… I'M YOUR CAPTAIN…

CHAPTER 3

Sarah's eyes fluttered open as she rose from sleep. Something wasn't right. She couldn't see. 'Am I blind? Did I die?' she wondered. 'No, what the…' She reached up, feeling a cold metal object over her head. Sarah panicked, and began to claw at the contraption on her face. She thrashed about violently, and scream aloud only to have her voice muffled by the metal guard covering her mouth.

Suddenly, something flickered inside the mask. A bright light flashed in her eyes and Sarah was temporarily blinded. She squinted, adjusting to the new image. Bright colors surrounded her. Most shades of blue and red, but there were green spots too. One bright red spot came up as Sarah reached her hand out. 'Am I dreaming? Or…' Sarah thought back to her 'experimental' years as a teenager. Particularly a weekend she spent with her friend from high school. "No, I don't remember taking anything." Sarah said aloud.

Something grabbed her arm, lifting her up. She felt a hand on the metal covering her face. Sarah's breath quickened, unsure of what was touching her. She felt the cold of steel on her wrist. A strong clawed hand grabbed her by the arm, guiding her right hand to the metal piece it attached to her. It pushed her finger onto a button, and the image she saw became clear. Her normal eyesight had been returned.

Upon seeing his face, she stared in wonderment. It was hideous! Yet somehow, it seemed beautiful. Not attractive, for sure. It was the perfect face of a warrior; striking fear into the heart's of his victims. Yet somehow, this time she was not scared; more intrigued at the four powerful looking mandibles.

Suddenly it all came back to her; the fight between hunters, the confusing escape before the explosion. She had passed out. 'He saved my life,' she thought. She reached up to the metal on her face, realizing what it was. 'He gave me his mask so I could breath!'

She leaped up, throwing her arms around the hunter. Bewildered by the action, the hunter pushed her away, onto the hard floor. He stood, looking down at her. The hunter stretched his lower mandibles. He reached down beside him, picking up the blade that the green hunter had used.

"What is your name?" The hunter asked.

Sarah gasped in surprise. "You speak my language?" She stuttered, "M, My name is Sarah."

The hunter turned, and began to walk away. He stopped, looking over his shoulder, and said, "It's best to know your enemy."

This remark stuck her hard. 'Is he planning on killing me?' her mind raced with uncertainty.

Sarah shot after him. "Why did you save me if you're just going to kill me?"

The hunter turned, roaring into her face. Sarah fell flat on her behind. She looked up, wondering why she was stupid enough to anger an eight foot giant. "My brother dishonored my clan. You never kill unarmed prey. You are weak. You are unworthy prey."

Sarah looked down at her hands, then back at him. "Why do you let me live then, if I am of no value?"

The hunter pulled her to her feet. Looking her up and down. "I will need a slave to clean my trophies. You will do that."

Desperation overwhelmed her. She was to be his servant girl? She had a lot of trouble with authority, and she knew this would end poorly. She looked into his eyes. "What other options do I have?" she questioned.

The hunter reared back, making strange noises. Sarah almost thought he was choking. But suddenly she realized, he was laughing at her. He looked her in the eyes again, speaking in a commanding voice. "You are no warrior; you have no honor, so you have no choice!" He grabbed her by the arm, and began to lead her down the hallway.

Sarah ripped her arm from his grasp. He shot his wrist blades out, and swung around as if to strike her, and suddenly stopped himself only inches from her cowering face. He grunted in contempt. "You test my patients little one."

"Teach me!" she shouted at him. He cocked his head, not believing what he was hearing. "Teach me to be a warrior. Teach me to be honorable." She said again.

"You? Be a warrior?" the hunter scoffed. "You are weak!"

"But I could train!" she begged.

He hesitated, not sure what to make of the spunky little human female. "You are unworthy." He replied.

"Well what makes someone worthy?" she questioned, knowing she was overstepping the line with him.

"Power! Wisdom! Control! Many things make one worthy, but your race has shown none of these traits in battle!" He clicked at her dismissively, turning away.

She grabbed his arm, without thinking. He turned, dropping the sword on the ground. He grabbed her by the shoulder, lifting her up. Her mouth dropped, fearing what he may do to her. She squirmed, but he held her tight, bringing her face to face with his mandibles. He roared loudly in her face. "You want to learn? First I will teach you honor!"

The hunter sat her back down on the floor. "It is disrespectful to talk that way to your betters. Do NOT do it again!" He grabbed the sword off the ground, clamping it to his armor. "You will call me master." He down to her, and grabbed her hair. He thrust her head down. "Lower your head to your betters. Disrespect is NOT tolerated." She nodded, making sure not to meet is gaze.

"I will follow your command." She spoke in a submissive tone. "I will do whatever it takes to gain…honor."

The hunter let go of her, taking a step back. "You will learn more later," he grunted. "We will land on a nearby planet. You will need water and food. And you can groom yourself." With that, he turned his back to her and began to put his weapons away on a nearby rack.

She reached down, remembering the gun she had slid in her pants. She pulled it out, looking it over. She could kill him, or could she. After seeing what happened to Brad, she doubted that mere bullets could stop this creature. Deciding against it, she slid the gun back into her pants.

Sarah fumbled around with the mini computer attached to her left forearm. 'What button did that again?'' she wondered. Sarah pushed a series of buttons, and the computer sprang to life. The screen on the mask flashed green and white. She could see the bright metal mini computer shimmer in the image she saw. 'Interesting' she thought. She pushed it again, and all went red. She moved her head around, unable to see much. Pushing it a third time brought back the bright red and blue colors, and then returned it to her normal vision. Sarah wasn't sure what each was for, but she would find out.

She continued pressing different buttons, wondering what they did. After a few clicks, she brought up a screen with different lines. They all began to move, giving off a beeping sound, and slowly started disappearing. The Hunter's head snapped around to her. He ran over and grabbed her by the wrist, furiously pushing buttons. He relaxed his muscles as the screen shut off.

"You stupid human!" He roared furiously. "Don't touch things you don't understand! You activated a plasma bomb!" Sarah looked down at the mini computer, eyes wide.

"You mean I have a bomb strapped to me?" She looked up to him. "Get it off!"

The hunter grunted at her in annoyance. "If I take it off, you wont be able to see. And the mask let's you breath." He grabbed her wrist firmly, but not aggressively. "Just don't touch it and you… we will be fine." The hunter then turned and walked to the door. Looking back he said, "Don't touch anything!" With that he walked out of the room, leaving Sarah alone.

Sarah stood, and began to walk around the room, examining it. There was a long slab of metal, with some kind of animal pelt on it. She ran her hand down the pelt, feeling how strangely soft and fluffy it was. On the opposite wall there was a table, or counter, suspended from pole attached to the ceiling. On the wall opposite the door, there was a small oval window. Next to it was a large stack of shelves, which held his weapons.

She thought about her family, wondering what they were doing. They were probably enjoying some tropical getaway. Her father was rich, so they spent a lot of time on exotic planets, seeing the galaxy. They never spent much time together. Maybe that would all change, if she ever got back to them.

Sarah missed Kyle mostly. He had asked her to marry him before she went away to that stupid academy. 'I should have said yes!' she thought to herself. 'But no, I had to have my stupid career in genetic researching.'

Sarah sat on the bed feeling so alone. Tears began to well in her eyes. She never had missed her family much, but now she would give anything to be with them. She wanted so much for someone to hold her, and tell her it would be alright; someone who could make this nightmare go away.

She began to sob uncontrollably, and buried her head in her hands. Why did she have to leave Kyle? Why did she have to go away to school? Why couldn't she just be happy as a wife? Her principals didn't amount to shit now; stuck on an alien spacecraft god knows where in space.

As she lay back onto the pelt, she let out a long sigh, and wiped the tears from her eyes. With a half hearted chuckled, she muttered, "What a day…" Somehow, she felt things wouldn't look much better in the morning. Sarah closed her eyes, slowly drifting off into the dream world.


	4. Chapter 4

A NOT SO LONG TIME AGO

IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY… OR SUMSUCH.

CHAPTER 4

Kyle rubbed his eyes, sitting on the corner of his bed. His feet touched the cold metal floor, sending a chill up his spine. "I hate this job." he muttered. Kyle rubbed the back of his neck, grabbing his dog tags off of the bedpost. He put the tags around his neck, shivering at the cold.

Kyle stepped into his shower room. Looking around he scoffed. "High class accommodations indeed." Kyle turned the knob in the shower, letting the water run over his hand. The warm water was soothing to the touch. He stepped in, glad to be comfortable. He covered his hands with soap from the wall dispenser.

As soon as he had soaped up, the door buzzed sounded. "Just f'n wonderful," he shouted. "I can't even enjoy a shower." He quickly rinsed off, and grabbed a towel. Grudgingly, he ran to the door. He wrapped the towel around his waist, and opened the door.

A woman, clad in marine garb holding a pulse rifle saluted, waiting for a response. Kyle returned the salute, muttering, "What now?"

"Sir, you are needed immediately on level 12." She turned and headed down the hallway.

Kyle sighed, and closed the door. He turned gazing at the messy room. "How did I ever end up in the military?" he spoke aloud. Sure it was a living, but now he was stationed on some rust bucket, guarding some top secret, hush-hush experiment. Kyle never was the marine type. He had been sent to military school during his high school years, being the deviant that he was.

Kyle donned his uniform and grabbed his sidearm off the desk. He attached his holster, and clamped the gun in firmly. Sitting down on the bed, he flipped on the com screen. Kyle typed into the panel, bringing up the com list. He punched in 'Janet Sky' who was one of he fellow officers from level 12.

The screen came to life. Janet sat on the edge of her bed, holding her head in her hands. "Yeah, what's up Trig?" Janet rubbed her eyes, and squinted at the screen.

"Yeah, Jan, I think something's going down on 12. Have you heard anything?"

Janet shook her head, replying, "No, nothing." Just then her door buzzer went off. She sighed, looking back at the com. "I'll suit up and meet you there."

Kyle flipped off the com. He jumped to his feet, and stretched out his arms. "Another glorious day in the core!" Kyle grabbed his jacket off of the chair by the door. He left his apartment, typing the lock sequence on his door panel. Kyle headed down the corridor, while brushing his hair back.

He took the route past the mess hall. Maybe he could grab something to go. Stopping at the glass window outside, he turned to read the menu. "Let's see… shit… more shit… shit on a stick… ooh, look. shit casserole." With that he left, empty handed, continuing on his way. "I hate this job." he muttered.

Kyle stepped onto the lift, and turned around. Seeing Janet running down the hallway, he held the elevator for her. Janet ran into the elevator, taking a deep breath. "Morning." he said.

Janet looked up at him. "Yeah, I see you skipped out on the whole meal idea too."

Kyle chuckled, replying, "Yeah I'd almost go as far as to say I prefer the R.E.M.s. He reached over, pushing the button for level 12.

"Access code please." The computer prompted him.

"163-qr-094"

"Thank you Corporal Larson."

The elevator jolted to life, taking them to their destination. Kyle whistled a tune while tapping his feet. Janet smiled, joining in. The elevator stopped on level 7. As the doors opened, Kyle and Janet hung their heads.

A tall man appeared before them wearing marine uniform, clad in many medals. Kyle and Janet stood up straight, saluting him. He returned the salute, and stepped into the elevator. "Good morning general." Kyle spoke. "What brings you to our humble elevator?"

"Well, it seems that the top secret experiment is being transported." The general cracked a smile, continuing, "Which means, we are being re-stationed."

Kyle raised his fists to the air. "Oh thank the lord! I hope it's somewhere nice. Any chance we're going to a planet sir?"

The general shook his head. "No son, but we are moving to a new state of the art facility, ASAP."

Janet smiled, whispering to Kyle, "Maybe now I can get a decent bagel."

The general grinned. "I wouldn't put money on that!"

The elevator doors open, revealing a long hallway with windows on both sides. Kyle stepped out, sniffing. "What is that smell?"

The general looked around. "Smells like something's burning..."

Suddenly a man in a white lab coat ran towards them. "General! So glad you could make it." He stopped, gasping for air. "You know this tunnel is very long."

"Get to the point." The General grunted.

"Well," the scientist started, "The creature was stronger than we anticipated. It seems that…"

The General held his hand up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa… What creature?"

The scientist scratched his head. "Haven't they briefed you yet? Oh, never mind. You see, we have found 14 eggs." He eyed the General.

"Yeah?" The general motioned for the scientist to continue.

"They are eggs of an alien species; the same species from earlier experiments that ended… poorly."

The General narrowed his gaze. "You mean the xenomorphs that took out six lab stations, and 4 military posts, and claimed victory over earth?"

The scientist chuckled. "The very same!"

The general drew his sidearm. "That's it; I'm pluggin' your pets!"

The scientist put a hand on the General's shoulder. "I knew you may feel that way. That is why Trinity Corporations has procured a military contract. In other words, unless a breach occurs, you take orders from me."

Kyle stepped up. "Sir, what's going on?"

The general turned to face him. "Son, these I-wanna-play-god scientists here, have brought a deadly alien species on board. These xenomorph kill… or captured all they can get their hands on. These stooges think they can tame it."

"Actually general," the scientist interrupted, "We are taking a different approach." We are harvesting their acid, and other resources, including genetics."

The general put himself face to face with the scientist. "Listen, boy. If just ONE of the things so much as stands funny, I'm gonna dissect your little guinea pigs with a nuclear warhead. Are we clear?"

"Inescapably. Now if you would follow me." The scientist turned, heading down to the hallway.

Kyle hung his head, taking a deep breath. "I…"

The general grabbed him by the shoulder, "Yeah, I know. You hate this job!" The general lead him down the hallway, letting out a sigh. "Don't we all…"


	5. Chapter 5

COZ EVERY BOY'S CRAZY 'BOUT A SHARP

DRESSED GIRL

CHAPTER 5

Without warning, a large, heavy pack landed on Sarah's stomach. She jolted from her dream, grabbing her gut in pain. "What the hell?" she yelled. The hunter walked over to her, grabbing the pack. As he opened it, an odd, elongated canister rolled out onto the bed. The hunter grabbed this, and headed over to the table. He looked back at Sarah, motioning for her to follow.

Sarah slowly rose to her feet, cautiously approaching the hunter. He pushed a button on the tube, opening it. The hunter reached in, butting out a small device, circular in shape with a screen of sorts in the middle. He pushed a button on the back and the clear ring on the rim filled with a blue fluid. Suddenly the fluid bubbled and turned green.

The hunter turned to her, guiding her closer. He reached a hand up, pulling a clasp free from her mask. "This may help you breathe without the mask." Sarah nodded, pulling the mask off. "Open your mouth," he commanded, "And put this in." She did as he asked, fitting the half sphere into her jaw. It was, to her surprise, not very uncomfortable at all.

She took a few deep breathes, waiting. She began to feel dizzy, just as before. Sarah pulled the object out, handing it back to him. "It didn't work."

He grunted, putting the mask over her face again, and clamped it in place. He put the device back in the tube, and closed it.

He grabbed her by the arm. Sarah tried to pull away, but he was too strong. He swung her around, so that they were facing. Sarah looked up at him, with a fearful expression. "What are you going to do to me?" she whispered.

The hunter pulled out a three foot long spear. Sarah pulled at her arm as she saw the weapon. She knew what these hunters could do. The hunter shoved the spear into her right hand, and closed her fingers around the grip. "Here." He said, and walked away.

Sarah looked at him, perplexed, and called after him. "Wait I don't understand!"

The hunter turned, replying, "Your kill was impressive. Prove yourself to me on a hunt, and I will let you keep the trophy." He unclamped the blade he took from the green hunter. He looked it up and down, giving it a few good swings, and then returned it to its clasp. "It will honor you greatly if you earn it."

Sarah looked down at the spear. She turned it around, examining it. It was actually extremely light. She twirled it around clumsily, and then set it down on the table. The hunter looked back at her. "I will teach you to use it. But you must gain my favor before I do." With that, he headed to the front of the ship.

Sarah gripped the middle of the spear again, tracing her finger down the edge of the bladed tip. She cut her finger slightly, finding that it was indeed razor sharp. She lifted the spear, holding it straight out. It was perfect for her; not to big, the shaft was thin enough to hold firmly. It was not a clumsy weapon either. The tip was not too long, maybe four inches. There was a diamond cut out of the center of the blade. The spear must have only weighed about three or four pounds.

She slid the spear down her belt, clumsily, having no idea where to put it. She began to walk over to the table, but the spear head had cut right through the belt. Sarah reached to grab it before it hit the floor, but missed. The spear hit the metal floor, giving off a loud clang. She picked it up quickly, hearing the hunter coming down the corridor.

"What are you doing?" He said. He looked at her broken belt, thinking to himself. "That is no good, come with me." Sarah followed obediently. After they got halfway down the hallway, Sarah felt her pants beginning to fall down. She stopped to get a grip on them before continuing. The hunter saw this, and pulled her over to him.

"No good for you. Too bulky." he said. Without warning he extended his wrist blade. Sarah backed up, but he grabbed her pants, yanking them clean off of her. Her handgun flew out and hit a nearby wall.

"Hey!" Sarah yelled at him, feeling extremely violated. The hunter looked up at her, and then back to the handgun. He grabbed the handgun, holding it up in front of her. Sarah pulled her shirt down, covering up her lower half.

"What is this for? You going to kill me?" the hunter questioned. He squeezed his hand into a fist, mangling the gun. He looked at it again, and handed it back to Sarah.

As she took the mangled gun from him, he grabbed hold of her shirt. In one swift motion, he tore it clean from her body. Sarah fell backwards, flat on her back, against the cold metal floor. She rolled over, grabbing at her back in pain. She looked over to him and wished she could just kick him in the face. She climbed to her feet quickly, and brushed herself off.

Standing in naught but her unmentionables, she folded her arms across her chest. "Why are you taking my cloths?" Sarah looked around, feeling very vulnerable.

The hunter replied, "For two reasons. One; so you can come on the hunt with me. Your clothing is baggy, makes noise, and could get stuck on something. Also, it is not durable." The hunter stopped, and reached over grabbing the mangled object that used to be a handgun. "Two; I don't want you hiding things from me. New cloths will be tighter. No place to hide anything. He stood, and walked into a room off the main hallway.

Sarah followed him, wondering to herself why she didn't just shoot the bastard when she had the chance. The Hunter grabbed some left over animal hide that had been sitting on the counter. He stretched it, making sure it wouldn't tear. He began to cut it with his wrist blade. Sarah watched him from the doorway.

The hunter walked over to her, putting his hands around her waist and then her chest. Sarah batted him away in surprise. "Stop!" she screamed.

The hunter grunted. "I need your size." Sarah sighed, wondering if the day could get any ore embarrassing. The hunter continued to feel around her body, taking measurements, which seemed more like guesses and estimates to Sarah.

She looked down to him as he sizes her hips. "You know, in my culture, you have to buy a girl dinner first."

He looked up at her, clicking his lower mandibles, and replied, "In my culture, only the strongest breed." He reached up, poking her muscular lacking arm. "You have nothing to fear."

The hunter rose, and returned to the table. He made more cuts into the hide. He pulled down a small thin blade, making incisions along the edges. The hunter folded the hide, making creases and adjustments. He grabbed another tool, clamping it over the edges to hold them. It left metal studs on the hide.

He turned to Sarah, waving her over. She reluctantly moved closer, examining the hide on the table. He handed her the new top he had made for her. It closely resembled an oversized brazier. She shrugged and put it on. He handed her a long thin strap of hide. "Put this through the hole to hold it together." he instructed. She laced it and tied the hide to her chest. It was oddly comfortable.

He turned to the table, picking up the other piece of hide. He handed it to her, pointing at her legs. "For the bottom," he said. She looked at the hide, which appeared to be a bikini bottom with a long flap on the front and back. She put slipped it on, adjusting herself.

"It's a little loose," she said. He pulled it off of her, slicing the sides open. The hunter took the small blade and made more slits in the sides. He pulled another thin strap off the table, lacing up the sides. He then returned it to her.

She put it on again, tightening the straps. "Perfect," she remarked. Sarah looked down at her new garment, examining it. The hide was tough, yet seemed to flow like silk. The flap covered most of legs in front and back down to her knees, but left her thighs exposed. "Kind of stylish," she said to him.

The hunter looked back at her, narrowing his gaze. "No, they are for better movement and protection." He shook his head at her. "Humans…"

The hunter grunted, waving her away dismissively.

Sarah left the room, heading to retrieve her spear. She stopped in the middle of the hallway, glancing out one of the windows. She put one hand on the cool metal railing, then the other. Sarah leaned against it, resting her chin on her folded arms, and peered intently into the universe before her.

Sarah couldn't help but wonder if she would ever rejoin humanity. Sarah missed her family, and now it looked like she wouldn't ever see them again. She moved away from the window, wiping a tear from her cheek, and headed to her room.


	6. Chapter 6

DUDE, WHERE'S MY ALIEN

CHAPTER 6

Kyle kicked a candy wrapper on the metal grate by the cargo hold doors. He turned to Janet, shaking his head. "Another day, another dollar."

Janet laughed, leaning back against the wall. "Yeah, but change dollar to quarter."

The garage doors to the cargo hold split open, receding into the metal walls. The general walked out to greet them. "Attention!" The small unit of men saluted, after regrouping by the cargo hold. "Alright, now that the bullshit's through, let me see assholes and elbows! Get this shit loaded! We got a bird to catch!"

The general chucked his cigar into a nearby puddle, and pulled Kyle aside. "Larson, I want you to personally keep an eye on these containers. I trust you more than a whole platoon of men." He looked at the cargo hold. "These things are nasty, and if one gets loose…" The general handed him a portable nuke. "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that. Kyle gulped, grasping the full force of the statement. He nodded, sliding the nuke into his pack. "Yes sir." He choked, and headed into the cargo bay.

Kyle went to the back, to make sure everything was in order. The marines had loaded all of the crates into the APC. Kyle grabbed one of the scientists by the shoulder, dragging him into the APC. "Ok now, tell me what, exactly, are we transporting again."

The scientist fixed his glasses, replying, "Xenomorph eggs."

"That's eggs only right?" Kyle questioned, narrowing his gaze.

"Correct corporal." The scientist remarked.

Kyle walked around the glass containers, eyeing them cautiously. Without warning he slammed the butt of his rifle against the glass. It bounced away casually.

The scientist looked at him in disbelief. "What are you doing!"

Kyle smirked, replying, "Making sure that these things are sturdy. I don't want any surprises." Kyle rubbed the glass of the case. "Acid proof?" Kyle asked as he looked back at the scientist.

"Well…" the scientist began. "They are acid resistant."

Kyle looked up sharply. "Ok this mission is over."

Kyle leapt out of the APC, heading for the drop ship. "General!" Kyle called out. The scientist ran after him, babbling about the importance of moving the eggs. "General!" he called again.

The general descended from the ramp of the drop ship. "Yes Corporal?" he called back.

"General these containers are not aid proof!" Kyle exclaimed.  
The scientist caught up with him, panting. The general turned to the scientist, asking in a low tone. "Is this true?"

The scientist pushed his glasses up on his nose once more, replying, "No they are not. They are acid resistant. But it should…"

The general held his hand up, cutting him off. He grabbed his com link, speaking into it. "This is General Miller. This mission is a no go."

A voice broke over the static. "This is private first class Jennings. Sir, please repeat"

The general frowned, and barked back, "I said this mission is aborted!"

A different voice came back. "General this is Doctor Conners, PHD. I am head of the Trinity Corporation's division here on Silver Star Station. That is a negative, you are go for operations.

The general spit on the ground, shouting back into the com. "Damn you fools, these containers are not acid proof! I'm callin' this god damn mission off."

Connors replied. "Sir you are overstepping your authority. I have deemed the cargo safe for transit. Failure to comply will result in a Court Marshal.

The general slammed his com onto the grate, grinding it with his heel. Kyle, go check out that cargo, I'll be sending all available units to help you watch over it. If those eggs so much as twitch, I want to destroy the whole fucking thing!"

The general stomped up the ramp, shouting out orders to the unit. Kyle turned and headed back to the cargo hold. He grabbed the scientist by the shoulder, dragging him along.

"Where are you taking me?" the scientist spit out, almost tripping over his own feet.

"Well you get a front row seat if these things get loose." Kyle replied, cracking a smile. They came around the corner of the APC, and Kyle stopped abruptly, yanking the scientist to a halt. "Do you smell that?" he asked, eyeing the scientist. "That's the same smell that was on level 12."

The scientist tried to walk away, but Kyle slammed him against the APC, and shoved his forearm across his neck. "You move and I'll put so many holes in you that you'll have to be IDed by your dentist." Kyle hissed into the scientist ears.

Kyle walked over to the APC door, holding his nose. Carefully peering in, all he could see was smoke. He grabbed the scientist, practically throwing him inside. "Check the containers!" He yelled. Kyle followed the scientist in.

His eyes widened with horror as he looked inside the glass. All fourteen eggs were open. Two dead face huggers had impaled themselves with the prongs holding the eggs. There was no site of the other twelve. Kyle jumped out of the APC, and ran toward the drop ship. His heart raced.

As he scaled the ramp to the drop ship, he saw one of the face huggers. Quickly he raised his pulse rifle, spraying it with lead. The face hugger curled up. Squirting blood onto the ramp. "Shit! SHIIIIT!" Kyle screamed aloud. He kicked the wall hard, and turned to watch the acid eat through the hull of the drop ship. "Great, just fucking wonderful."

Kyle opened the door to the inner area of the drop ship. "General!" He called out. Kyle ran forward to the cockpit. He opened the door, grabbing the General by the arm. "They're loose!"

The general dropped his coffee, turning to Kyle. "What!"

"Sir, they got loose. Two killed themselves, and the acid ate through the container. I nailed one on the ramp…"

The general turned to the pilot, "Stand by for evacuation!"

Kyle grabbed the general's wrist, shaking his head. "That's a big negatory sir. Like I said… I nailed one on the ramp."

The general sat down, and kicked a small storage compartment, denting it. "Shit!" He reached over, flipping on the com switch. "This is General Miller. The containers have been compromised. Over."

A female voice broke the static. "General, confirm. You say the xenomorph containers are breached?"

"That's a big A-fucking-firmative!" The general swiveled around in the chair, grabbing his pulse rifle.

The voice came back. "General, please hold for Doctor Conners."

There was a long silence, and then another voice came back. "Connor's here. You say the containers are breached?"

The general rubbed his forehead. "How many times do I gotta tell you? You want it in Chinese? The containers are history! Destroyed! Compromised! Call it what you want it. Point is, it's a military situation now. I'll handle it from here Jack ass!"

The voice came back quickly. "Now sir I strongly recommend you…"

The general switched the com off. He looked to Kyle, who nodded slightly. "Alright, if we move quickly, we can get out of here before those things do their business and breed off some really nasty offspring."

Kyle shifted uncomfortably. "Just what exactly are we dealing with here sir?"

The general lowered his head, speaking in a low tone. "Son, I have seen what these things can do. They come out of those eggs, and they attach themselves to some poor sucka'. Then they lay this… thing… inside their chest. There's no way to stop it. In about four hours or so, that thing bursts straight outta the chest. Then… it grows."

Kyle's jaw dropped. The general put his hat on, and added, "We don't want to be here when that happens. Coz when the shit hits the fan, they'll be all over us like a 18 year old horn dog in a sorority house."

The general stood up, and put a hand on Kyle's shoulder, remarking, "Let's go round up the cattle and request a transport!"


	7. Chapter 7

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE HUNGRY KIND

CHAPTER 7

Sarah paced around her room in extreme boredom. Two days seems like an eternity when you are stuck in a space ship with no food and nothing to occupy your time. She hadn't eaten since the morning she was captured; or saved, she hadn't figured out which yet. All she had was a watch, a keychain with a laser light, and her spear.

She had been practicing with the spear, as much as she could; straightening her swings, and getting a better feel for the weapon. It would take a while before she could fight, but she figured 'Why the hell not?' It's not like she had anything better to do.

The hunter walked into the room quietly, and headed over to the table. He set down a bowl, and filled it with water. He had made a custom of doing this about every 2 hours. He closed the container, and turned to face her. "Prepare yourself. You will come with me on the hunt." He clicked something on his minicomputer absentmindedly. "It is not long now." With that, the hunter turned and left.

Sarah fidgeted with her keychain, letting out a long sigh. Truthfully, she couldn't wait to get out of the ship. This hunt would be an excellent opportunity to stretch her legs. She just couldn't get the loneliness out of her head. She missed Kyle, her parents, her sister. She missed her life.

She was just praying for an opportunity to jump ship. But not here, no. She would buy her time, at least until they came to a familiar planet. Then she would leave him. Or would she?

She was actually growing strangely fond of the big guy. Maybe it was the fact that he could beat the crap out of anything that wanted to hurt her. He would make a killer bodyguard. Or maybe it was the fact that in the cold of space, you cling to whatever you can to keep sane.

Sarah jumped out of bed, and began stretching. She thanked the gods that she had been a gymnast in high school. She wasn't too out of shape, and she would have to keep up with the hunter. Sarah pulled the spear from her bed, spinning it around with finesse. The practice was beginning to pay off.

Sarah swung the spear around, imitating various attacks and parries she had seen from movies. Control, it was all about control. She would learn form later. The 3 foot long shaft soared through the air with ease parting the tiny atoms of air, gliding ever so gracefully as she directed its path. It felt almost artistic, passionate. She never considered herself a fighter, or even desired combat in any way. Sarah was actually quite non-confrontational.

She lowered the spear, dropping it on the bed, and tightened her garments. As she looked down at her shoes, she thought to herself, 'I'm going to need to get some boots.' She walked out of the room, after grabbing the spear again, and headed up the hallway to the cockpit.

As she entered the room, the hunter turned and tossed a backpack of sorts to her. It was large enough to swallow her whole. She grudgingly slung it over her shoulder. The hunter pulled out one of his knives, testing its sharpness with his thumb. He then clamped the knife back onto his armor, and put on his mask.

The ship jolted as it hit the planet's atmosphere. The hunter reached up, pushing some buttons on the panel close to his head. He grabbed the control shafts, guiding the craft towards their destination. Sarah peered out of the glass, trying to catch a glimpse of the planet.

Her eyes widened, taking in the vast beauty of the planet. From what she could see it was almost completely covered in forest. She could see a few waterfalls and many rivers. Sarah turned to the hunter, tapping him on the shoulder. "What is the planet's name?"

The hunter looked back at her, replying, "The name it has would be green planet in your language."

She smiled to herself. It sounded like a very nice place.

Sarah grabbed onto the back of the predators chair as they neared the ground. The ship seemed to land effortlessly, so much that Sarah thought they were still in the air.

The hunter stood up, fixing his armor. He turned to Sarah, taking her hand lightly. He had seen how twitchy she could be if he didn't tiptoe around her. Humans had no nerves. He gently pulled her closer to him, and he kneel down.

"What are you doing?" Sarah asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't want you ruining my hunt." he said. "I want you to stay behind me the whole time, unless I say otherwise." He put a hand on her shoulder firmly, looking her in the eye. "I mean it. This is a dangerous planet. Stay within 20 steps. I will not come looking for you, and I will leave you."

Sarah nodded, wondering if he would actually leave her. The hunter let go of her wrist, walking toward the ramp area. She followed him closely, making sure new clothes were tight and secure. As the hunter activated his cloak. She switched her vision so that she would be able to see him.

She had only taken two steps off the ramp, but already she could feel nervous. Her first hunt, what would the people back home think? 'A twenty year old girl taking up hunting with an alien species.' She thought. The idea would seem funny, if not for the fact that she was in an unidentified animal hide with a spear firmly in hand, which she didn't even know how to use. 'Yep, knee deep in it.' She thought to herself.

She looked around, taking in the landscape. The ship had landed in a small clearing, barely wide enough for it to set down in. Thick forestation surrounded the left, spanning around the back, and most of the right. To the north, there was a small, rocky hill. Atop the hill, Sarah could see a strange bird like animal, perched upon the branches of a lonely tree, closely resembling a gigantic bonsai.

The hunter turned back, motioning for Sarah to follow. She obeyed, not daring to lose track of him. He walked quickly and without a sound, despite his enormous size. As the makeshift pathway turned south, he began heading into the thick of the trees. Sarah followed closely, but kept enough room not to crowd him.

The hunter stopped suddenly, motioning her closer. Sarah stepped over to him, leaning forward. The hunter patted his chest, and then pointed up the tree. Sarah looked up, and then back at him, shaking her head. There was no way she could climb that thing. He put his hand on her shoulder, and pointed off in the distance. 'Great,' she thought. 'He gets to go tree climbing while I hoof it through the underbrush.' She nodded to him, and began walking off.

Sarah lowered herself to the ground, trying to stay as silent as possible. Her heartbeat quickened, half in excitement, half in fear. If whatever they were hunting didn't kill her, the anticipation might. She stopped a few yards out, looking back into the treetops. Spotting the hunter, she waved.

The hunter looked around for a moment, scanning for prey. Then he returned his gaze to her, and waved his hand, signaling for her to continue. Sarah sighed, and grudgingly resumed her course. As she passed through the brush between two trees, something pricked her leg. She looked down, seeing a purple thorn sticking in her shin.

'Oh wonderful! I can hear it now; 20 year old college girl dies tragically after contracting strange disease from a bush.' She tore off a small section of the branch, placing it in the sack. Maybe the hunter would know what it was, and if it was poisonous.

Sarah continued on, noticing a clearing ahead. She looked back to the hunter, pointing it out. He returned her gesture with a nod, waving her forward. She then headed to the edge of the clearing, and began looking for any signs of life.

Sarah spotted a strange animal walking on the other side of the clearing. It appeared to be some sort of reptile. It walked on all fours, but looked very agile. Its legs were thin, yet muscular. Something seemed oddly familiar about it. 'A dragon!' she thought to herself. 'That's what it looks like!'

She turned back to the hunter, and pointed ahead to the creature. The hunter looked ahead, spotting the creature. He quickly pulled his spear from its clasp and motioned for Sarah to stay put. She gladly complied.

When she looked back for the creature it was nowhere in sight. "What the hell?" she whispered. Sarah began looking all around for the 'dragon,' but to no avail. She turned back, looking for the hunter, but he too was missing.

Sarah backed against a nearby tree. Her mind was racing. 'What the hell is he doing?' she wondered. 'Where did he go? The thing was right there. Where did IT go… where the hell is it?' Sarah's heart began pounding so hard she would have thought the whole forest could hear. She had never felt so alone, so desperate.

'Snap!'; The sound a twig breaking. Sarah snapped her head left. Leaves rustled behind her, sending chills up her spine. She spun around in a panic; only the wind. The tiny goose bumps on her arm felt like tiny ants crawling over her entire body. She began to pant uncontrollably. Her head began to spin. She felt so dizzy; so trapped; so small.

A loud 'thud' came from behind her. She couldn't breath. She closed her eyes, and balled up her fists. Then it came; the rhythmic sound of the patting of feet on dirt. The sound drew nearer, dangerously near, but Sarah could not look. A snort came from the unseen threat, causing her to shiver, but she still could not look.

Then came the roar; a deep cry that shook the leaves from the very trees surrounding them. Sarah opened her eyes. Everything felt like slow motion. She turned to meet the creature. She had to look. She had to make herself look.

A claw. No, three claws. Three claws attached to a giant reptilian foot. Her eyes traced up the foot as she continued to turn, her heart pounding faster and faster. Up the leg was a chest, not even three feet from her face; the massive, scaled chest. And then the head. Almost a towering 12 feet from the ground, two yellow eyes peered deep into her soul.

Sarah fell back in awe, staring at the massive creature. 'Do something!' she kept thinking. But she could not move. Suddenly, the creature reared back on its hind legs. A soft cry escaped Sarah's lips. Time seemed to come to a halt. The creature's eyes glinted in the sunlight. A leaf seemed to hang in mid air, suspended in time.

All at once, the universe returned to motion. The creature opened its mouth slowly, letting a bit of saliva escape over its chin. Then it came down quick, lashing toward her. Sarah closed her eyes, and held her arm up against her face. The sounds of flesh being pierced were followed by a splatter of blood. And all was silent.

Sarah opened her eyes, in shock. The hunter stood before her, with the end of his spear lodged into the animal's head. The creature seemed suspended in motion. The hunter then yanked the spear free, and the creature fell to the ground, limp. Its tongue rolled out of its mouth, dripping saliva.

Sarah looked to the hunter. He grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her to her feet. "This is a good find. Why did you not attack?"

Sarah looked at the limp carcass, whimpering, "I was terrified." She wiped a tear from her eye. "I thought you abandoned me. And I was scared. I didn't want to die." She looked to the ground. "I just… I… I couldn't move. I wanted to, I just…couldn't."

He put a hand on her shoulder firmly. "You must be strong!" He looked at the dead creature, then back to her. "Even the greatest hunters get scared. But to be a good hunter, you put fear out of you mind. Don't show your fear. Your prey will use it against you."

Sarah nodded, asking "What now?"

The hunter pulled his knife from its clasp. "Now we take the trophy and meat."


	8. Chapter 8

LOCK, STOCK, AND 30 SMOKING CARCASSES

CHAPTER 8

Janet's feet pounded against the steel grated floor as she raced through the halls of the barracks. 'All that carnage!' she thought. The image kept flashing through her mind.

_The beast grabbed hold of Steven's shoulders. He kept thrashing about, trying to get loose, but the monster just held on tighter. All he could do was scream. No strength of arms could stop it. Janet saw the fear in his eyes. The kind of fear that melts your limbs to goo. And you can't run, you can't hide, because your body is frozen. And all you can do is scream, just scream. _

She shook the image away, and pushed on ever faster. "Kyle!" she called out. Her heart was racing, and her lungs gasping for air. The xenomorph was almost on top of her now. She threw the empty pulse rifle aside, hoping to gain some speed. Janet growled, pushing her legs to their top speed. She grabbed the railing of the wall as she rounded the corner to the weapon's storage room. All the rest of the marine were holed up there. The best place to make a last stand.

Kyle opened the door, screaming down the hallway, "Get down!" Janet leapt to the ground, and the xenomorph pounced, staying right behind her. Kyle fired one shot from the XR-12 Assault rifle. The bullet spun through the air, missing Janet's head by only centimeters, and plunged itself into the aliens wide open mouth. The bullet tore through its brain and ripped out the other side, imbedding itself into a nearby wall.

The xenomorph's body hit the ground hard, skidding almost 6 yards before coming to a halt. Kyle raced out to Janet. He grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back to the door. "Come on Janet, just a few more feet!" He glanced down at the motion tracker. It beeped loudly, show enormous amounts of motion coming their way. "We've got company! Lot's of fucking company!"

He pulled her through the door, and fell back onto the grate. He held her in his arms, cradling her. Janet gasped for air, clinging to Kyle's shirt. He watched as two marines closed the door and began welding it shut. He watched the motion tracker, as the image grew nearer and nearer to them. "There were only twelve face huggers last week! How in the hell are there so many of those fuckers!"

The general took his hat off, and drew a long puff of his cigar. "Because one of them bred a queen." he said solemnly. He headed to the weapon racks. Eying the different types of firearms, he motioned to Kyle to join him. "We have to take her down."

Kyle jumped to his feet, and stomped over to the general. "Sir! Have you lost you mind?"

The general grabbed him by the collar. He pulled his cigar out of his mouth, and brought Kyle face to face with him. "Do you think these things are bad? This is baby shit compared to her!" He let go of Kyle. "She's ruthless. She will destroy anything standing in her way. She's ten times stronger, and ten times more intelligent." He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "And if we don't kill her now, it will be 100 times worse when the transport gets here."

Kyle nodded, replying "Yes sir!" He looked back, hearing the beasts as they began to pound on the door. Kyle grabbed his pulse rifle and ran to aid his remaining marines.

The general grabbed a holster strap, and attached it to his back. Then he slid a shotgun into it. He ran his fingers down the railing, stopping at the G3AL machine gun rack. He grabbed the heavy gun, and threw the strap over his shoulder. "These mutha fucka's do NOT know who they messin' with!" He slammed the loading shaft, locking the 400 round magazine in place.

The general turned to the opposite weapon rack, opening a drawer. He reached in pulled out a box of 'H.I.,' or 'high impact,' grenades. He liked to call them 'pounders'. They packed all the punch of a high explosive grenade, but limited the amount of fire. They would be great for taking out the nest. He grabbed another holster, strapping it to his side. Then he looked over to the emergency exit.

Kyle looked back as the general walked away. He ran after him. "Sir, where are you going?" The general smashed the case next to the exit, and grabbed the fire axe, sliding it into the holster at his side. He turned, putting his cigar back in his mouth. "To kick some ass my boy! To kick some ass!"

Kyle grinned, replying "Not without me!"

The general let out a loud laugh, and pointed at him. "That's my boy!"

Kyle raced back to the group, shouting. "Ok men! I want you to empty out these racks! Barricade the doors with them. I'm talkin' I want them welded to the damn wall. That way, when they break in here, you can shoot them, but they won't get through. I want it triple layered. The acid will eat through the metal. Weld these vents off! Terry, you're on motion tracker!"

Kyle tossed the device at her. "If you see anything coming from the left or right, alert the men."

"I want automated turrets blocking off the emergency exit. We'll need to leave that open. Riley and Parker! You two start welding the grates down to the floor as soon as they're done with the door. I don't want anything coming up from below. Get the ceiling too!"

Janet climbed to her feet. "I know you're not leaving without me!"

Kyle slapped her on the shoulder. "Let's get ready then."

Kyle reloaded his XR-12, and loaded his pockets with ammo. He tossed a pulse rifle to Janet. She loaded it up and grabbed some extra clips. He slung a spare pulse rifle over his other shoulder. And grabbed two handguns. Janet grabbed a case of grenades and poured them into her jacket pockets. Kyle grabbed her by the shirt and headed out the emergency exit after the general.

They caught up with him at the end of the hallway. He looked back at Janet, smiling. "Welcome to the party, can I take ya' coat miss?"

"No thank you sir, just here to kick some ass." She replied.

The general laughed, pulling his cigar out of his mouth. He glanced at the motion tracker, and then looked at Kyle. "Ok this is how were gonna do this. I'm gonna take point. I'll mow down any sombitch that hall the balls to cross our path. Janet, you keep up the rear. I don't want anything comin up behind us. Kyle, since you got the XR-12, you stay between up. Watch that motion tracker and I want to take down anything from above. I don't want any lone wolves trying to catch us off guard from the shadows." The general dropped his cigar, stomping it out. "Alright people. Let's lock and load."

The moved around the corner quietly, heading to the right. Janet scoped out the opposing hallway and followed them. They could still hear the far off commotion from the Armory. Kyle watched the motion tracker as they neared the elevator. The general stopped to peer around the corners of an intersecting hallway.

As he looked to the right he saw a hoard of Xenomorphs outside the front of the Armory. He looked back to Kyle. "Ok, I see them. Tell the marines to get back and take cover from acid splatter."

Kyle clicked the com on, speaking into the headset. "Ok, I need everyone back from the door. Take cover from acid splash. Over"

Parker came back over the com. "Affirmative, over and out."

Kyle nodded to the general, taking a step back. The general swung around the corner and tossed two grenades at the alien group. They rolled under their feet and into the thick of them. The general backed around the corner, counting under his breath.

The floor shook violently as the grenade went off. An alien head with no body flew passed their view, into the wall. After the explosions were over, they looked around the corner. Janet wiped her head back and forth nervously. Kyle put his hand on her shoulder. "Stay frosty."

Something landed on Kyle's shoulder lightly. He reached up, touching some strange wet goo. He pulled his hand away, stretching trails of the disgusting substance. He saw Janet eyes widen. Kyle looked up sharply, seeing the open jaws of a xenomorph waiting to pounce. Kyle rolled out of the way as the alien hit the floor hard. He lifted up his rifle to fire, but the thing pounced on him.

Its drool rolled out of its mouth and all over Kyle's chest. He kicked it over his body, but the alien grabbed him, rolling him over as well. Kyle pushed the alien's head down against the grated floor. The alien squirmed, but Kyle had the advantage of gravity.

Janet aimed her rifle, waiting for her chance. She couldn't risk hitting Kyle, or letting the acid touch him. The general moved to help him, but the alien whipped its tail around, smacking the general into the wall. He landed, knocked out cold. Janet glanced down the hallway, doing a double take. There had to be eight or nine xenomorphs charging at them.

Janet raised her pulse rifle, firing wildly. She backed away, loosing her nerve. Kyle gritted his teeth, holding the arms of the xenomorph down. He lifted his foot up, grinding his heel into the side of the alien's head. He pulled his handgun, putting 6 rounds into its banana shaped skull.

Kyle rose to his feet, grabbing his pulse rifle. He fired rapidly, backing up toward Janet. He looked back, seeing an Alien drop down behind her. He screamed in terror, unable to hear his own voice.

Everything seemed to slow down. Janet spun around. Her jaw dropped and she let go of her gun, frozen. It hit the ground with a loud clank. Kyle watched helplessly. The Xenomorph put both hands on the sides of her head. She grabbed its wrists as it lifted her into the air. Kyle bellowed with all his soul. "NO!"

Its mouth slowly opened, letting saliva roll down its chin onto the floor. Janet kicked helplessly, letting out a sob. It pulled her closer, face to face. Kyle reached for his pulse rifle, but it was too late. The alien's inner jaw shot out, breaking through her skull. Janet shook violently, but her body soon went limp. Kyle screamed out in agony. "NOOOO!" He fell to his knees in sorrow. "OH GOD!"

Kyle looked back as one of the aliens pounced. He turned to run, but the xenomorph grabbed him by the shoulders, taking him down. Kyle cringed as his face slammed into the grating on the floor. They skidded down the hallway, grinding Kyle's face on the grate. Skin tore away from his cheek as they slid. They connected with the wall, and his head slammed into a support beam, knocking him out.


	9. Chapter 9

99 BOTTLES OF C'NTLIP ON THE WALL...

CHAPTER 9

The meat of the beast was dry, but flavorful; a resemblance of buffalo jerky perhaps. Neither of them complained though. It was Sarah's first meal in 3 days and the predator was sick of the travel rations. It was a long awaited banquet for them both. Sarah actually favored it over the cafeteria food at her school.

'School…' Sarah couldn't get the thought out of her head. They never talked about it, but she wondered how much of the carnage at the institute was his doing. All those faces seemed so distant now; so unimportant. She missed her friends, yes, but she had not allowed herself to grieve for them.

Sarah eyed the predator curiously over the roasted beast on the table. She leaned her head to the side, remarking with a smile. "Not bad." She sets the naked bone down upon the table. They had no plates, which was a custom she was not used to. She wasn't actually sure if they didn't use plates, or if the 'big guy' was just ill equipped to host a guest.

The predator nodded as he continued to gnaw at the bone in his hand. He had avoided her since they had returned from the hunt. He found her obnoxious and verbose, and he wanted nothing to do with her… 'conversations.' He found her childish, and her ambitions misguided. But still, he held a soft spot for her, though he would never admit it.

She pushed away from the table and slowly rose to her feet. Sarah's eyes moved over him for a moment. "I would like to further my training. I want to learn to hunt." She spoke in almost a half whisper. It wasn't so much that she wanted to hunt, as she wanted to know how to defend herself, should he decide he no longer needed her. What she really wanted was to get off this god damned spacecraft and back to human society. She wanted Kyle.

The predator shook his head, stretching his lower mandibles. "No… Not yet." He replied. He turned to face her, and gave her a stern look. Training would come, but she would have to be patient. "For now, you will clean this trophy. Let me know when you are done." And with that, he rose and headed to the control room.

She frowned to herself, and sighed exasperatedly. She would buy her time. Enough time to gain his trust, then she would make her escape. There had to be some way to get him close to a human planet or facility. She had to get out. She grabbed her spear in frustration and headed to her room. She would learn with or without him.

Sarah spun the spear around in her hand as she side stepped into her room. A thrust, and another thrust; the repetitive motions of training. She had excellent hand-eye coordination naturally, which was a help. A background as a gymnast all through school was another great help. She would learn. She was determined.

Sarah leapt onto the bedding and back flipped back to where she was before. She used the end of the spear to steady herself as she regained her balance. It had been a couple years since she had worked out, but she was already beginning to feel more in shape from her exercises. Never the less, there was a hard journey ahead of her still.

The hunter stood just around the corner, listening to the sounds of her training. She was determined, yes, but had no warrior soul. It was against his better judgment, but he would train her. She had passion, and that was commendable. He turned on his heel and headed to his trophy room. It was time to ponder the road ahead. Important events were in the making.

Sarah's hand began to crap and she dropped the spear. The high pitched song of the vibrating metal rang through the ship as it landed on the cold metal floor. She grabbed her hand, massaging it slightly. Her entire body began to ache. 'What is going on?' she wondered to herself.

The hunter returned, peering in through the doorway. Sarah glanced at him, and shook away the pain as if all were well. She leaned down and retrieved her spear, laying it on the bedding. Perhaps it was just the exhaustion of hours of practice. Hell, she went from lounging around all day for two years to taking on a 6 hour practice every day. Repercussions were to be expected. She couldn't help but feel there was more at work here.

Perhaps it was the lack of food, or water, or any other nutrients for that matter. It could be the stale air she was breathing through the mask. Or maybe it was the fact that all of her friends were slaughtered by a strange creature and she was captured and taken aboard an alien vessel. No. She wouldn't admit it, but she knew it was the poison from the thorn bush.

The hunter moved in through the doorway, taking her by the hand. She looked up at him curiously. 'What now?' she thought. 'It wasn't enough to strip me down nearly naked, mangle my handgun, and use me for bait? What more humiliation do I have in store?'

"Follow me." He said simply. He lead her to the control room, and sat her down in one of the chairs. "I am heading back to my clan. You will not be easily accepted." He turned to look at her. "I must teach you our traditions, or you will be killed for insolence."

Sarah bit her lip and held back her sarcasm. 'Great, he's the softy of the bunch.' She thought. Her eyes moved over the control board, studying it for a moment. Things were definitely taking a turn for the worse. Not only were they moving away from human territory, but she would be surrounded by more of his kind.

Sarah thought back to the other predator from the installation. She was a minnow in a pool full of sharks. Suddenly she began to feel sick in the pit of her stomach; helplessness. This feeling was become very frequent in her lately. Her eyes moved back to him. "Then I will gladly learn." She spoke softly.

He nodded, taking a seat next to her. His hand rested on some sort of lever, he pulled it back and pressed a couple of buttons. The ship jolted and began to change course. Sarah watched him intently. Perhaps learning the ways of the ship would be useful. She allowed herself to sink back into the chair, quietly watching him work the controls of the ship.

The hunter looked over to her silently, glad for this quiet time between them. He turned the ship left, heading past a nearby asteroid chain. He then accelerated the ship and locked in his heading. The computer beeped back its confirmation of the autopilot and the controls receded into the main board.

Sarah smiled half heartedly to him as she rose from the chair. She made her way back to her room, where she would continue training. Hopefully she had a few days before they would encounter the rest of his clan. Perhaps if she survived this meeting, she could convince him to go find Kyle.


	10. Chapter 10

DAZED AND CONFUSTICATED

CHAPTER 10

Kyle opened his eyes only to have the world blur around him. He could not see through the pain in his head. Shadowy objects moved around him as he reached for his face. He soon found his arm was strapped down to some sort of hardened crust. Slowly, the pain began to recede and his vision began to sharpen.

Kyle found himself in some sort of empty cargo bay. There was hardened mucus layering the walls surrounding him. Through the disarray of the hold could be seen various bodies. Each one looked as if they had suffered some chest wound. Scattered about the floor between the bodies were leathery sacks; pouches perhaps. No, they were eggs. Kyle remembered back to what the General had said. He figured he must be near the queen.

All of a sudden, a stark scream cut through the musky air; the call of the queen. Kyle became stricken with fear. Until now, he had kept his head level in his dealing with these… aliens. This was too much. He thrashed about, struggling against the incredible strength of his bindings, yet they refused to break. His eyes darted about for another solution, but his gun had fallen only a few feet out of reach.

Kyle looked down in front of himself, seeing one of the leathery sacks begin to twitch. His heart sank, and he began to feel ill. A wave of despair washed over him. The top of the egg sprouted into four triangular sections. Trails of mucus lead back into the innards of the egg. Kyle's breathing became erratic, and panic began to take hold. One by one, the finger like legs of the face hugger hooked the top rim of the egg, and it began to pull itself out.

The face hugger sprung out of its leathered shell and toward Kyle. He cringed as it neared, and turned his face away. A loud gunshot could be heard, echoing through the cargo bay. Each second seemed to stretch on in eternity. Kyle slowly opened his eyes, looking around.

A small woman stood not 10 feet away. She was clad in different types of weapons from head to toe. In her hand was an oversized handgun with a sight scope on it. The barrel was still smoking from the shot. Slowly, she raised it to her lips, blowing across the barrel with a sly grin. Her eyes shot around the room in search of more hostile activity.

Kyle sighed in relief, and looked down to the slain face hugger next to him. He looked back to her as she began to walk towards him. "A little help would be great." He said with a smile. She knelt down beside him, pulling her boot knife with her free hand. Two stroke of the blade freed Kyle from the hardened shell around him. He grabbed up his XR-12 and rose to his feet. Holding out his hand, he said. "I'm Corporal Lar…"

She slapped his hand away quickly, muttering, "Save it…" She turned and headed out of the hold quickly. "You better hurry. Things are going to get nasty if you stay." He turned, heading out of sight. Kyle wasn't sure about her. She wasn't in a marine uniform, which lead Kyle to the likely conclusion; she was special ops for the renegade squad.

The renegades were an X-military squad of troops that had made their way onto the most wanted list. Each was trained in a variety of weapons and fighting styles. They were stationed on a top secret outpost when they were reported missing. Most information about them was classified, and few facts were known. None-the-less, Kyle was nothing short of ecstatic to see them here.

He ran out of the docking bay just as he began to hear the shrieks of the xenomorphs closing in on them. He saw her at the end of the hallway and ran after her. She moved quickly, peering down corridors as she passed. At the end of the hallway she stopped and turned. Her blue eyes locked on him as he near. Kyle could hear the xenos clawing their way up the path behind him.

The woman raised her gun and fired right over his shoulder, taking down one of their followers. The others shifted along the walls and spaced out. The woman holstered her magnum in response and in turn pulled out two handguns slightly resembling the classic 9mm pistol. Two red laser sights shot out from the barrel and found their way to two xenomorph heads. Her finger squeezed down the triggers and she began to empty her clips. Each shot managed to find its way to a target, unleashing a spray of acid as they impacted.

The xenomorphs leaped from wall to wall in a desperate attempt to dodge the flying bits of lead, but to no avail. This woman was an expert marksman. Another wave brought up the rear. There was a swarm making its way down the hallway. They crawled down the corridor using the floor, walls, and ceiling. Gravity appeared to have no hold over them.

Kyle rounded the corner, passing her as he ran. He looked to see another group of aliens moving to flank them. He raised his XR-12, and peered into the scope. One by one, he began to take them down with the rifle. There were too many to defeat, even for the special ops chic. They had to find cover.

The xenomorphs flooded the hallway, barreling towards the two. Kyle looked down all three hallways in desperation. Their future seemed rather bleak. The short woman holstered her guns and looked down at what seemed to be a motions tracker of sorts. This was more advanced than anything he had seen before.

Suddenly, she grabbed Kyle and pulled him away, just as the floor grating swung open. Before he knew what was going on, she thrust him down into the darkness of the tunnel below. Kyle's feet hit the second grating with a loud clank. His eyes blurred in the loss of light, but the motion tracker shone clear. They were surrounded. He turned to the girl.

She closed the grating and placed a timed nuke behind them. She flipped it on and turned to face him once more. Her deep blue eyes looked over Kyle's shoulder. "Glad to see you Sergeant." She clamped the motion tracker to her belt and began to head down the tunnel. "Ten minutes!" She called out.

Kyle turned to see a large man hovering over him. In his hand was a large machine gun of sorts with a square digital scope on it. He had various other items and weapons strapped to him, along with some sort of view screen on his headset.

"They call me Sergeant B.A.M.F." He said with a sly grin andturned to follow the woman. "You can call me sir. And that is Corporal Earls." Kyle shook his head, following closely behind the 'mobile artillery'. The sergeant glanced back as they moved. "We are the renegade SpecOps group. We set down here after hearing your distress signal. Many of your fellow soldiers are dead." He paused for a moment, and shook his head. "You can thank your government for that." He continued on, clicking something on his wrist. "We saved 8, including you."

Kyle stopped, looking back. "What of the General. Did you save him?"

The Sergeant grabbed Kyle by the shoulder of his suit and drug him along. "I couldn't save him. He had one of those things in him." Kyle's legs stumbled as he was drug towards the docking bay. The Sergeant stopped looking around. He glanced to the woman, inquiring, "Which way Earls?"

Caylin stopped and looked down at her tracker. She pulled her scoped pistol from its holster. "It's just up ahead, but those things are right on our tails." She broke into a full run, turning left at the last junction.

Kyle checked his ammo and continued on along side the Sergeant. "What are we going to do? There has to be more survivors." The Sergeant shook his head. "We can't save them all, and my team is nearly out of ammo to hold our drop ship."

Kyle sighed. He didn't want to leave, but what choice did he have. It was 'flee or die.' As they reached the end of the junction, Caylin popped open the grating of the floor above them. She cleared the jump easily and reached her hand down after them. "Quickly now! I can hear them!"

Kyle found himself in the armory once more. The smell of death hit him. Bodies were strewn about, and the floor had been eaten away from the acid in most parts. So many dead. Someone would have to pay. He looked over the ammo rack, and grabbed a pulse rifle. He managed to find a few clips and some grenades before the Sergeant pulled him away.

"We got no time for that shit!" the sergeant remarked, glaring down at Kyle. "Let's get the hell out!" With that, they made their way out of the room and down the hall.

Kyle stopped again, looking down at a familiar body. It was Janet. The vision of her death flashed before his eyes. Her face was mangled and broken. The blood had congealed around her wounds and her skin was ghostly white where it wasn't stained. Her skull was twisted and deformed from where the alien had eaten its way inside. Kyle closed his eyes, yanking up her dog tags.

Gunfire came from the corridor ahead, cutting through the air like a knife. Kyle snapped back to reality. He broke into a sprint, leaving behind the body. He knew he would never forget that image of Janet lying there. He would never forget this place.


End file.
